172 WISCONSIN STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
removed before feeding, as they contain bat little nutriment, 
and are injurious. They can, however, be manufactured into 
a valuable oil, and thus be made profitable. These vines can 
be grown by applying manure to the hills, and where there is a 
deficiency of that useful material, a small supply will thus an¬ 
swer for a large extent of land. The leaves and vines remain 
on the surface, and bind the sands during the high winds of the 
fall and winter, and decaying readily will soon be incorpo¬ 
rated into the soil. 
These lands lie in the belt of the early ripening grapes, and 
with proper care and a good supply of vegetable manures large 
crops of grapes might be realized. The great heat of our sum¬ 
mers, and the character of the soil would force grapes forward 
in a less number of days, than they would require on more 
tenacious soils, and in days less bright. The berries for the 
same cause would mature better and contain more sugar, con¬ 
sequently make better wine, if raised for that purpose. The 
great amount of foliage and trimmings of the vines will add 
largely to the mulch needed, and furnish manure for the 
growth of the vines. Owing to the climate and soil the leaves 
and fruit would be entirely free from rot and mildew. Grape 
culture would be very easy on such friable and perfectly 
drained soils; and it is believed that one acre set in Dela¬ 
wares, well tended, and five years of age, would yield more 
clear profit than ten acres planted to grain or grass ; and the 
annual yield thereafter would continue. The presence of large 
quantities of wild grape vines, indicate that this soil is conge- 
* 
. nial to the grape. 
Many of these lands, and especially those north of the grape 
belt, are naturally set with raspberries and blackberries 
wherever mulch and wash have accumulated. These produce 
yearly large crops of fruit of excellent qualities. From these 
wild bushes stocks might be selected that would possess all 
the good qualities of the Antwerps, Doolittles and Lawton, 
and of sufficient hardiness under cultivation, to endure the ex¬ 
cessive cold of Wisconsin winters. Near the stations of the 
